Outfitting Your Scout To go Backpacking

When your Cub Scout is crossing over to Boy Scouts or when you’re Troop / Crew has decided to try backpacking for the first time it can prove to be a daunting and expensive task to outfit your scouts for their first trip. You can spend weeks just reading all the information on the internet about which pack you should carry, the latest and greatest shelter system, tents – vs. – hammocks, which water filter to carry, or if you even need to carry one, should you go light weight, ultra light, or traditional when selecting gear. In the end your left more confused than when you started. So what is a parent or scouter to do? That was the question posed to me a while back from some parents that had boy’s crossing over to a local troop.

What follows is the answer (or lesson) that I gave them. It starts with some general discussion about gear, some suggested brands and outfitters (based on my experiences with them), reasons behind certain gear choices, “do it yourself” gear, and multi use items. I hope it is helpful!

For starters the first thing we need to discuss is how to fit a pack, more than once a kid, or adult leader, has formed a dislike to backpacking because they have worn a full pack that did not fit properly causing their shoulders, back, or hips to hurt excessively before they make it to camp the first night only to feel worse when they get up the next morning. I can not stress enough that you should fit your pack, fill it with the items you are planning to take then spend a couple hours walking around the back yard with it on to see what adjustments need to be made. It is much better to make any adjustments to it now than when you are 5 miles into a 20 mile hike! Don’t laugh, it happens every year to someone; just don’t let it be you. OK, enough preaching (for now) lets see how to fit a pack.

Packs are fit by torso length. You measure from the bump at the base of the neck to the natural waist which is found by placing your hand on your hips and drawing an imaginary line from one thumb to the point on your spine that it meets the other. From there you just have to decide which pack will serve you best.

When choosing a pack you can break it down into 3 categories internal frame, external frame, and capacity each with both good and bad qualities. Internal frame packs which have 2 metal or plastic stays that run vertically down left and right sides of the pack have gained in popularity over the last decade due to how well they fit when hiking, they do not shift around when ducking or bending to cross over a tree that has fallen across the trail or scrambling over rocks and banks when crossing a stream but can have limited space and decrease the air circulation between the your back and the pack plus they can be a bit pricey. External frame packs which have a pack bag attached to a metal frame can weigh less, carry more, provide better air circulation, and can cost half the price of some internal frame packs. The draw backs are the fact that you can carry more, which easily allows you to pack more than you can comfortably carry, and they shift around when you bend. For capacity, a good rule of thumb is to keep scouts pack around the 3600 cu in size for an external and around the 50 to 60 liter range for an internal. Go to a reputable outfitter (Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, REI, North Face, etc) try on both to see which you like the best. I have and use both depending on the trip I am going on, but personally started all 3 of my kids off with external frame packs because of price and size options. You can pick up a good (new), external frame scout pack from a company like Campmor for around $50 - $80 less if you go to Ebay. The advantage to external frame “scout” packs are the range of torso adjustments; they can usually go from 13 inches to 17 inches which allows them to grow with your child. When you purchase a rain cover for your pack make sure it is the right size for the pack you have.

Now that you have something to carry your gear in lets round out the “big 3” by discussing tents and sleeping gear. Unless your have the stamina of an NFL lineman this is where weight has the biggest effect on your gear choices. A lot of tents are classified as backpacking tents but may not be suited to carry into the backcountry. If you are not careful this is also an area that can have a big effect on your wallet, with not only high end but mid ranged tents going for $150 to $500. If your scout does not mind sleeping in a confined space a good cost effective tent would the Eureka Solitaire (1 person) or the Hennessy Scout Hammock system both for under $100 or something like the Eureka Spitfire 2 or Tetragon 5 (both 2 person tents) for under  $130 online. What ever tent you choose remember, always carry a ground cloth to protect the tent floor from sharp objects that may be under it. A cost effective option for this is a plastic sheet (4-6 mil) cut to fit the tent.

Sleeping bags are a monster of their own! You can get them in just about every temperature range, weight, size, style, and price you can imagine, then you have to decide what you want the bag to be insulated with, should you use down, polyester fill, or one of the new synthetic fibers that offer the warmth of synthetic and the weight of down. For the money I recommend Eureka’s Casper mummy bag. It can be purchased online for under $80, is rated down to 15° F, packs small due to an integrated compression system on the stuff sack, and weighs in at a respectable 3lbs which is a good weight for a synthetic bag. Last in your sleep system is a ground pad. Excluding price you have 2 choices closed cell foam and self inflating. Closed cell foam is by far the cheapest (from $8-$25 depending on brand) and lightest choice, but if you are using an internal frame pack you may have to get creative in how you carry it. The self inflating pads (such as the Thermarest) tend to be a bit heavier, but make up for that in warmth and pack ability. They also are the most expensive going on average form $30 to $150, again depending on brand, size, and thickness.

Alright, lets move on to the rest of the gear you will need. Talk to your Pack or Troop leaders before purchasing a water filter, they may already have a couple that are used for the whole group. If not a good choice is the Katadyn Hiker for around $60 online. It’s good for approx. 200 gal before the filter needs to be changed. Like all your gear the better it is maintained the longer it will last you. As far as cooking goes I would avoid the old “mess kit” set ups, they are not as practical as they once were with all the choices that are out there. With that said again talk to your group to see if they are doing “group” cooking, pairing off to 2-3 scouts, or each responsible for their cookware. If the latter, you need to decide if you are going to go with an integrated cooking system like the Jet Boil stoves, or a standalone stove and cook pot. If going with something like the Jet Boil system (around $100) you will get the stove, a cook pot, an integrated pot cozy and lid which packs neatly away inside the pot when not in use. If you are going with a stand alone stove check with the scout leaders to determine if they are using alcohol stoves or isopro canister stoves (I recommend the Isopro canister stoves). You can purchase a Coleman canister stove at Wal-Mart and on the internet for under $30 and the canisters run about $5 each. To go with the stove I would recommend the GSI Outdoors nFORM Ultalight Soloist cook system (approx. $40 online), it has everything you need to prepare your meal, a pot w/ lid, a bowl, and insulated mug. Throw in a Light My Fire Spork or Guyot Designs Micro Bites set and you are ready to go. For those wanting to lean more to the ultralight side of hiking you can leave the bowl at home and carry a bag cozy to cook and eat from (see the attached videos for more information). Last on the subject of cooking is a way to light your stove. I always recommend carrying several ways to produce fire, but for a scout just starting out I would recommend a basic Ferro rod (also called a fire steel or metal match), with a “bic” lighter and matches in a waterproof match safe as back up.

The last and some may say most, important big gear group would be clothing. Always dress in layers with the base layer made from a poly or poly / cotton blend to wick moister away from the skin followed by an insulating layer such as fleece or wool covered on top by a shell to repel wind and rain. The lower half of your body can be treated the same way but save the insulating layer (fleece or polypropylene) for at night or cold rainy days. Pants should be comfortable (no jeans), breathable, and roomy enough to put a layer under but not too loose. If they are the type that you can zip the legs off to form shorts even better if not, bring a pair to wear when hiking in the hotter parts of the day and include a pair of nylon rain pants to shield from wind or rain and add an additional layer to help insulate when needed. Socks are very important, always have extras…. Always! In my opinion Merino wool is the best in all 4 seasons. The insulating properties of wool when wet are famous, but they also help your feet to stay cooler in the warmer months. You can expect to pay $11-$15 a pair and should have about 3 pair (one is always carried as a spare) add a liner sock to help wick moisture away from the foot and eliminate blistering and you should be good. To top off the feet, you are going to want to get a pair of hiking boots that give good support to the foot and ankles, and are waterproof or can be waterproofed. Don’t forget to break them in really well before the first trip to eliminate one of the biggest causes of blisters to new backpackers. How well is really well? The last pair I purchased I felt were broken in after I had about 25 miles on them. This was from general wear and short day hikes. In camp you should have a light weight shoe or sandal to put on. This allows your feet a rest and a chance for your boots to dry.

Now on to all the rest! Some troops carry a group first aid while others prefer to have each scout carry their own. If you are expected to carry your own make sure it is comprehensive, light weight, compact but still has enough room to be added to. The Adventure Medical Kits .5 Ultralight / Water tight Kit ($14 online) is just such a kit. It has enough in it to stand alone but has enough room in the pouch to add a small bottle of sunscreen, any personal medication you might need, an emergency whistle, a small film canister with dry tinder for a fire in an emergency, an eyeglass repair kit, and extra matches in a match safe. It’s always a good idea to carry a basic repair kit. It should have at least enough to fix or maintain your pack and tent if something happens. I take a small nylon stuff sack and carry about 20ft of duct tape, a couple of zip ties, one of each buckle on my pack, a small sewing kit, and any patch kit that came with gear like the self inflating sleep pads, a small pencil, and a couple pieces of paper. Every hiker should carry a decent compass and map of the area you will be in. I like to encourage scouts to take turns leading the group with the map and compass, not only does it hone their navigational skills; it also gives them something to talk about later in camp. Each scout should have a hygiene kit with, at a minimum, a toothbrush, toothpaste (trial size), deodorant (trial size), and some wet wipes to clean up with (the last time I checked there was no shower in the back country…). You can add to that by throwing in a bottle of biodegradable soap (for dishes and person), a small bottle of hand sanitizer to disinfect your hands after going to the latrine, which reminds me, don’t forget the toilet paper! Someone always does and it’s never pretty…hahaha. Depending on how long you will be out take a half to a full roll in a zip lock bag to keep it dry and a backpackers trowel to dig a hole. Look for a light weight, compact pack towel to use, something that is highly absorbent but will still dry quickly in between uses.

You don’t have to carry a heavy or bulky flashlight these days with all of the super bright, long life LED headlamps on the market you don’t even need to pay a lot of money for them. I would recommend the Energizer LED headlamps (around $12-$15) at most department stores and no matter what brand you use always carry an extra set of batteries. If you don’t like the headlamp style of light I would go with the mini-Mag light with the LED bulb or a similar small LED flashlight. The LED lights have extremely long bulb life and produce more than enough light to do what you need to. You are going to need at least 50ft but no more than 100ft of strong small diameter rope like Para cord and a mid sized nylon stuff sack to use as a bear bag. It is always a good idea to hang your food, and any item that has a scent, about 30ft from your tent to keep animals from trying to get into your tent to get it. The cord can also be use to replace broken shoe laces, guy lines, or general repairs in a pinch.

The last of the essential gear that is needed would be a couple of garbage bags, quart size freezer bags, and gallon size freezer bags. The garbage bags can be used as a pack liner if it is raining, a water resistant cover for your sleeping bag if using an external frame pack, a dry place to sit if it has been raining, as well as the obvious use as a garbage bag. The quart and gallon zip lock bags can be used the same way. Anything you don’t want to get wet gets put into a bag, and any trash you have can be put into one of the gallon size bags and put in your bear bag at night. They are also a great way to keep your pack organized.

Last on the list would be tools. A good knife is a life saver! I have carried a Victorinox Swiss Army Recruit knife for years and would not think of heading into the woods without it in my pocket. Swiss Army knives are light weight, easy to sharpen, have several tools on them (depending on the model), and have decades of experience in the wild. I would, and do, add a multi pliers to my pack as well. In addition to the obvious use as a repair or emergency tool you always have a pot grabber if your pot or lids handle gets damaged in some way.

Food requirements will be discussed by your group when the trip is planned, but I would like to chime in on a couple of points for the newbie’s out there. First, don’t underestimate your body’s ability to get dehydrated and fatigued even on cooler days. You should carry enough water to make it to the next source of water; I always suggest two 32oz water containers or a hydration bladder (if your pack is compatible) and a spare 32oz bottle for use when cooking on the trail. If you drink about a quart / liter of water just before starting out each day, plan to drink about a quart / liter every 2 hours, take frequent rest stops, refill your supply before it runs out, and eat a handful of trail mix from time to time between meals you shouldn’t have any problems. Always try the food and snacks you plan to take with you before you go. Many times people fail to do this, then get on the trail and realize they do not like the food they brought, or can not stand the food they brought. One can be a minor inconvenience; the other could ruin the trip for you to the point that you do not have an interest in hiking again. Try several freeze dried meals before picking the ones to bring, make sure the single serving meals will be enough to satisfy you (there is nothing worse than going to bed hungry after a long day of hiking). If a single serving does not seem like enough try adding one of the freeze dried deserts. Don’t feel like you have to stick with the prepackaged freeze dried meals (true they are good for beginners, but don’t limit yourself). Most supermarkets carry a wide range of freeze dried and dehydrated foods that are great for backpacking. You can take Ramen style noodles, beef jerky, dry cereal and powdered milk, instant potato’s, the vacuum pouches of tuna and chicken, and the thin sliced bagels teamed with peanut butter and jelly packets are perfect for sandwiches at lunch. Even instant puddings are a nice treat to add to a meal at the end of a day on the trail. Instant rice and cous cous make some pretty substantial meals when hiking as well.

In closing I will leave you with one more thing to think about. Gear, even when you are watching prices, can set you back several hundred dollars. Don’t try to buy it all at once, buy a little here and there when you see good deals, start frequenting your local sporting goods stores to look for deals, do online searches for the best price, you will be surprised how much you can save. The last pack I bought I paid $56.00 for online. The same pack in my local sporting goods store was $189.00, it pays to shop around. If your scout has never backpacked before, purchase as much as you can from places like ebay or try to borrow as much gear as possible. They may not like it, why not make sure before you start buying all the expensive stuff. Use this, the attached list, and video as a guide, and have fun!

I hope to see you on the trail some day!

Beginning Backpackers Gear List:

Shelter / Sleeping:

• Tent w/ ground cloth
• Sleeping bag – rated from 15° to 20°
• Sleeping pad – closed cell or self inflating
• Sit pad (optional)

Packing:

• Backpack – internal or external frame pack (around 3600 cu in or 50L – 60L)
• Pack rain cover
• Garbage bags
• Zip lock bags – Qt and Gallon size

Cooking:

• Cook pot – soloist style
• Utensils – Spork, scrub pad / sponge, bandana (pot holder)
• Stove & fuel – isopro canister or alcohol (discuss with leader)
• Matches / lighter – bic lighters are recommended or matches in a match safe
• Water filter – discuss with leader before buying
• Insulated cup
• Pot / bag cozy – a “make it yourself” item
• Water bottles – two 32oz bottles are recommended
• Bear bag – mid sized stuff sack to hang food from tree

Essentials:

• Compass
• Map of planned trip
• First Aid kit – personal size with prescription medicines
• Headlamp w/ extra batteries – sm LED flashlight would work as a substitute
• Fire starter – Ferro rod or extra matches in a match safe, dry tinder for emergency
• Whistle – stadium whistle is recommended
• Knife / Multi-tool – Swiss Army knife is recommended along with a multi-tool
• Repair kit – duct tape, zip ties, sewing kit, replacement buckles (1 per size)
• Pack towel
• Hygiene kit – tooth brush & paste, deodorant, biodegradable soap, wet wipes
• Toilet paper
• Rope – 50’ to 100’ of small diameter cordage or Para cord is recommended

Clothing:

• Watch – essential to follow cooking times and for emergencies
• Wide brimmed hat or baseball cap
• Knit hat – for cool nights and/or sleeping
• Light gloves – for cool nights
• Rain gear – nylon rain suit or poncho (made to over a backpack) & rain pants
• Heavy fleece shirt / jacket – 200 to 300 weight fleece or 2 100 weight fleece
• Long sleeve shirt – poly or poly/cotton blend
• 2 short sleeve shirts – poly or blend, 1 to use as a spare
• 2 Pants – poly or blend is best, convertible to shorts is also helpful, 1 is a spare
• Polypro or fleece pants – a thermal layer for your legs
• 3 pr wool hiking socks – merino wool is recommended or wool / poly blend
• Liner socks – 1 or 2 pair to prevent blisters
• Camp shoes – light weight sandal or something like “crocs” shoe
• Boots – waterproof lining is recommended or waterproof yourself

Food:

• Trail snacks – trail mix, power / granola bars
• Drink mixes – with electrolytes (helps rehydrate faster), hot coco, coffee, tea
• Freeze dried or dehydrated food for 3 main meals
• Emergency food -  enough food for 1 extra day

Miscellaneous / Optional:

• Gaiters – to keep water and debris out of boots
• Camera – in a zip lock bag
• Notepad and pencil – or small journal
• Cards
• Sleeping bag liner – helps keep bag clean
• Guide books
• Fishing gear – compact
• Folding saw
• Sun glasses

A Backpack Full Of Camping Gear Is Basically A Large Survival Kit

 A backpack full of camping gear is basically a large survival kit designed for a comfortable, extended stay on the trail. What you choose to carry depends on how far or long you plan to venture into the wild. Are you going on a short scouting trip for a few hours, a day long hike on a scenic trail, or a multi day trip in the back country? The bottom line is this, it does not matter what you carry if you don’t know how to use what you brought when the time comes and your life is dependant on your gear. So when choosing your gear, take it out in the back yard, set it up, try it out, and get comfortable with it before you take it on the trail.

Let’s start with the basics, the 10 Essentials: (then add, subtract, or substitute as needed)

1. Knife / Multi-Tool
2. Map & Compass (optionally supplemented with a GPS)
3. Sun Protection (sunglasses, sunscreen, hat)
4. Extra Food and Water
5. Extra Clothes
6. LED Headlamp / Flashlight (with extra batteries)
7. First Aid Kit
8. Matches & Fire Starters
9. Water Bottle
10. Rain Gear

Knife / Multi-Tool:  I have long been a fan of the “Original” Multi-Tool (the Swiss Army Knife) and believe you can not go wrong having one in your pocket at all times, but if you are going into the back country you may wish to supplement your SAK with a sturdy multi-tool such as the Leatherman Charge or the Gerber Suspension Multi Pliers, and a good lightweight folding saw.

Map & Compass: It goes without saying (or should) that the time to learn how to read a compass and orient a map is at home when you make mistakes and learn from them.

Sun Protection: It doesn’t take long for the sun to have an effect on your body through dehydration and burning, so always have some type of sunscreen (including lip balm), sunglasses (if possible), and a hat with a wide brim to cover your neck or a ball cap and bandanna. Under this essential I would also add insect repellent to protect you from those pesky little bites!

Extra Food & Water: Even if you are only going out for a few hours it is a good idea to take some type of trail snack to keep your energy up, if you get lost it could be life saving! Which takes us to water; I believe that the water bottle should be included in this section and a way to sanitize water before you drink it. If you are carrying a Nalgene  style bottle you could add a GSI Glacier Cup/Pot to the bottom of it and take up no extra space, or substitute the Nalgene for a metal water bottle that could be placed in the fire to boil / sanitize the water you find.

Extra Clothes / Rain Gear – This is another set of items I would group together along with a small tarp or sheet of plastic (4-6 mils) and call the listed item Shelter! It should include something to make a shelter from (plastic or tarp), rain gear (or a jacket / sweater depending on weather conditions), extra socks, knit hat, and gloves.

LED Headlamp / Flashlight: if you are have to stay in the woods overnight it is not recommended to go wandering around with your flashlight, but instead it is meant to provide light for doing tasks around camp, finding things in your pack, food preparation, etc. If ambient light is needed you can build a fire to light up your camp (as long as it is contained and not a risk of starting a forest fire). Batteries being a man made device can fail so always carry an extra set.

First Aid Kit: first aid kits can be a bit confusing to some people and with dozens of varieties and prices to choose from it doesn’t make your choice any easier. A good place to start would be how many people are going to be with you, and are they all carrying a kit or is one group kit going to be used. By figuring this out you have eliminated a lot of the options. If by yourself or each member of your group has their own all you need is a small personal first aid kit. I would recommend the Adventure Medical Kits “Ultralight / Watertight .5” or something comparable. Then add any personnel medications, extra moleskin, and water purification tablets (if not included). Again, everyone’s skill level is different but I would recommend taking a basic first aid course, at the least, before heading out on the trail. The life you save could be your own.

Matches & Fire Starter: I always carry a waterproof match container in my first aid kit as a back up, but do not use it as a first choice. That said a Bic Lighter in your pocket is always a good companion to have as is a tried and trusted Fire Steel. A fire when needed could mean the difference between life and death. It provides warmth, a way to dry out if wet, a way to cook food, a means to sanitize water, and a way to boost your spirits on a cold night in the woods. But a means to start a fire do not help you at all without dry tinder to get your fire going. Many different products are on the market from compressed wood, chemically formulated paste, resin impregnated wood (natural & man made). You could choose to make your own such as cotton balls covered with petroleum jelly, pencil shavings / saw dust, jute twine, char cloth, or try to find what you need in nature like birch bark, tinder fungus, dry grass. The point here is that you need something dry to get it started and the best way to do that is to have it ready before it is needed.

OK, now that we have turned our 10 Essentials into 8 lets add a couple of things to round out our list.

Cordage / Rope: it could be made in the wild if needed but it is time consuming and time may be something you don’t have. From hanging you food bag or replacing your boot laces, to building a temporary shelter or tying a splint around a broken leg you can always find a use for rope when on the trail or in the woods. 50’ to 100’ of 550 Para Cord is like gold to those that need it but have forgotten it.

Cell Phone: it may seem out of place but if you are alone in the woods and injured being able to call for help could save your life.

Here I would add an 11^th item, arguably it could be considered part of one of the items above I feel it needs to be addressed in a little more detail.

Emergency Bivy Bag / Space Blanket: though it could be added to the shelter section a good emergency bivy bag (around $30) or all weather space blanket could make the difference if you are unable to build a fire, your shelter fails in the middle of a storm, you are caught above the tree line, or if you or a member of your party is suffering from hypothermia. They don’t take up much space or add much weight but they do add a level of safety that is hard to match.

It’s always better to be prepared for an emergency and not have one than to have an emergency and not be ready for it. Contact your local Red Cross for some first aid training, brush up on (or learn and practice) fire building skills, hit your local library or the internet and learn how to build a primitive shelter and some traps to secure food if you are in a self reliance situation, and remember STOP!

Sit down – stop wandering around.
Think – how did you get to where you are?
Observe – can you see a definite landmark? What time is it? What is the weather like?
Plan – are you going to have to spend the night? What will you need? Fire wood, Shelter, Water!

Don’t panic, keep your wits and you will make it back with a great story for your friends, and remember, this is a starting point. Add what ever comfort items you would like to make your time in the woods more enjoyable.

Pictures courtesy of Yahoo Images.